Surviving The Holiday Hustle and The First Trimester

I still wonder how I survived the holiday hustle and the first trimester of my pregnancy. I'd like to say I survived, but I am not sure I thrived during that time. Which, the pre-pregnancy part of my mind wants to beat myself up for that truth, but I am realizing the need and reality of grace even more these days. I must admit, I never realized how hard pregnancy could be. I knew it had the potential of making me sick, but I was not prepared for the exhaustion and my lessened capabilities.

As an achiever, I had to learn quickly that growing another human was an achievement I needed to be proud of. I must admit, that can be hard. Especially in this day and age when it seems like I can watch every other business owner making waves and getting things done, while I lay down for my afternoon nap. 

Being pregnant has changed my perspective on most things and I never anticipated that. I took pride in my rigid schedule, my ability to rise at 5:45am, and the fact that I could exercise on an empty stomach. Now, all those things I have changed. In fact, most things in my life has changed. And if you've been around for awhile, you know that I am not the biggest fan of change. So, in the midst of the biggest change in my life so far, I was also trying to keep up with holiday orders and planning for the New Year. I wish that I could say I was able to push through, wake up at 5:45, continue at the speed I was going, all while growing a human on a daily basis. But that hasn't been my reality. I've had to sleep in, eat frequently (the key to keeping nausea at bay!), go to bed earlier, lessen my workload, and slower the pace of my runs. It's been quite the humbling experience!

In addition to the necessity of changing my routine, my mindset has needed significant change as well. I have had to embrace grace in new ways. In fact, grace has need to infuse every aspect of my life. I have had to slow down, while remembering that this is not a sign of weakness. I have had to remind myself (every day) that I am not defined my the work I accomplish, or don't accomplish. I have to cover my accomplishments with severe grace, so I do not end each day feeling defeated. I have also had to approach my goals for this year with grace. I don't have any idea what life will be like once the baby comes, and I have had to accept that truth with grace. Life is going to change a lot this year. And, I could choose to resent those changes, or accept them with a mindset of grace. I choose the latter. 

In regards to my workflow: yes things have changed. Especially during the holiday hustle. I had to choose to let go of some things in the first trimester of my pregnancy. Unfortunately, this coincided with the busiest season of my business. That meant that I wasn't able to spend as much time on the back end of my business. I wish I could have prepped a bit more for the New Year, but I am happy with what I was able to accomplish. Most of my energy and time was spent on packaging orders, keeping track of inventory, and increasing my sales. Although I was able to accomplish those tasks, I had hopes for accomplishing much more before the end of the year. 

So, how was I able to survive the last couple of months? Well, I took naps, worked on the evenings and weekends when I felt well, took time off, took non-essential items off my to-do list, became better at snacking, drank lots of water, slowed down the pace of my runs (or spin class), and given myself copious amounts of grace. And at the end of the day, I am pretty sure I always do a better job than I give myself credit for. If you ask my husband, he would probably tell you that I do a lot more than I realize. So, there's that. And day by day, I am giving myself more and more grace. Luckily, I am feeling a lot better physically, so I feel like I am able to get more done throughout the day. However, there are still things that are a lot harder than they used to be (like my workouts), and I have to constantly give myself grace for that. Instead of seeing that as a weakness, I am seeing it as my strength. I am growing and nourishing a human life, and that's a pretty crazy miracle. So, when exhaustion hits, I have to take a minute and put all things in perspective. I have so much to be thankful for and so much to be proud of. Instead of focusing on the things I "can't" do, I am focusing on all the things that I am able to do. And that perspective shift has been key for me! I am able to end the day with a sense of accomplishment rather than defeat. 

Are you stuck in the mud and focusing on the things you "can't" do? Instead, focus on what you're able to do. I promise this perspective shift will be so beneficial for your mental state! And if you need a bit more encouragement, let me know and I'll be sure to put you in your place :)